University at Albany, SUNY Public History

Department of History University at Albany, SUNY 1400 Washington Ave. Albany, NY 12222 USA http://www.albany.edu/history/graduate- program-public-history.php

Director(s): Gerald Zahavi [email protected] 518-442-5427

Program Description: Founded in 1983, the M.A. program in Public History at the University at Albany, SUNY trains historians to work at a variety of public history venues. The program is a 36-credit program, usually completed in three semesters. In addition to traditional public history courses -- in archival practices, historical site administration, material studies, historic preservation, local/community history, and museum studies -- the program also offers students training in digital history, documentary filmmaking, oral/video history, and audio documentary production. Albany is home to major State agencies such as the State Archives, State Museum, and Office of Historic Preservation. The region also contains many public and private museums, historical societies, archives, and public media television and radio stations. This diversity permits a wide choice of internship and career possibilities – and a pool of specialized experts to supplement the regular staff of the Department of History.

Degrees Offered: Financial Aid Available: In-state tuition • M.A. in Public History discounts; some paid internships. • M.A. in History with a Certificate or Concentration in Public History Deadline to Apply: Rolling admission

Program Strengths: Credit Hour Requirement: 36 • Public Policy • Oral History Internship Requirement: A full-time 6-credit • Museum Studies summer internship is required and available • Material History internships opportunities are publicized • Local/Community History throughout the year to students. Occasional • Historic Preservation paid internships are available but most are • Historical Administration unpaid.

• Film/Video Places Where Students Have Interned During • Digital Media the Past Three Years: • Archival Practices • Olana State Historic Site

• Colonial Albany Project (NYS Museum) How Many Students are Admitted Annually: • BA: N/A MA: 7 PhD: N/A Peebles Island State Park • Shaker Village • WMHT (TV)

NCPH Online Guide to Public History Programs, Page 1

• WAMC (Radio) • Maybee Farm Historic Site • New York State Museum • New York State Historical Association • Albany Institute of History and Art • Museum Association of New York • Martin Van Buren National Historic Site • USS Slater (NPS) • Fort Crailo • Schenectady County Historical Society • New York State Archives

Job Placement Assistance Offered: The Program hosts an annual mixer each fall for students and area public history professionals and program alumni. We also maintain a database of available jobs and regularly broadcast job opportunities via Facebook and Twitter graduates.

Employers Who Have Hired Graduates from this Program within the Past Five Years: • New York State Museum • New York State Archives • • Historic Site • NYS Parks • Historic Cherry Hill • Lakes to Locks Passage • Museum Association of New York • Albany Institute of History and Art

NCPH Online Guide to Public History Programs, Page 2